What a morning!
 

Skyler and I headed to the woods this morning with high hopes. It was a nice, cold, late October morning and the wind was going to be perfect for one of my favorite rut stands. We got in plenty early and got everything set up. Thats when i heard some rustling in the leaves, but i realized that it wasnt coming from the ground, it was coming from above me! I looked up to find several turkeys roosted about 10 yards above us! After it started to get light they picked us out and flew down out of the roost. For the next 30 minutes we heard them being as vocal as could be trying to get the group back togehter.

Not too long after that skyler tapped me on the shoulder to let me know there was a little spike walking down in the bottoms behind us. We watched him feed for a while then all of a sudden i caught movement in front of us about 40 yards away. I saw a small buck walking through the thicket so i gave him a few soft grunts. He looks, then bolts. I didnt know what happened...then all of a sudden i see a big rack coming through the brush. At first i thought it was a huge deer, but realized after he showed him self a little more that he wasn't quite what i was hoping. He came in cautiously to investigate the grunts and stood broadside at 32 yards for 5 minutes before letting out a few soft grunts and walking off.



Not 5 minutes later, Skyler spots another nice buck in the bottom. It was a nice 2 year old 8 pointer. I let out a few soft grunts and he was on his way up the hill to investigate. After not finding any deer he slowly moved off.



Then around 10:00 we were thinking about gettin down when eagle eyes Skyler spots another nice 8 coming through the thicket. He had his head down to the ground smelling where we had some does come through earlier and wouldnt pay any attention to our grunts. Im pretty sure it is a buck that i have pictures of:



After we got down we checked the camera and got some more pictures of this nice buck that i got on camera last week in the daylight. I originally thought he was a shooter, but i think he needs another year now after getting a better look at him. He is very decieveing because from one side he looks a lot bigger than from the other! No daylight pictures of him though...hes definitely hitting this scrape on a regular basis.












What a good morning in the woods! The bucks are really on their feet and are very responsive to calling right now! I can't wait to get out this afternoon with the decoy!

RE: What a morning!
 

Nice read! Good luck.

RE: What a morning!
 

Man, you see more bucks in one morning than i see typically in a week.

RE: What a morning!
 

your morning hunt had more buck sightings than i have had in the last 3 years. Look forward to seeing the next picture with you behind another monster.

RE: What a morning!
 

Hey man thats great that you are seeing a lot, I'm not seeing anything lately. Also what state do you hunt out of, and when your calling what calls are you using, and whats your technique when calling cause I am inexperienced when it comes to calling and rattling so I could use some pointers if you got any for me. But anyways good luck next time you go out.

RE: What a morning!
 

I'm hunting in Missouri.

As far as calling goes i am just doing some rattling with shed antlers and grunting with a true talker grunt tube. The deer are very vocal right now. We have been hearing a lot of deer grunting and sparing the past week or so...

Shawn and I will be going back to that stand Friday morning i believe...hopefully they are on their feet like they were this morning! We just need one a little bigger so Shawn can send an arrow through him!

RE: What a morning!
 

Great story Mike, you getting out this evening?

RE: What a morning!
 

one more question for you, i was looking at picking up a primos grunt tube that had a snort/wheeze call on it. Wasn't sure if the snort/wheeze calls did much to bring the bucks in. This being my first year hunting, I am trying to gain as much knowledge as possible. thanks

RE: What a morning!
 

Nice encounters! Keep up the good work.

RE: What a morning!
 

Sounds like a great time out!

RE: What a morning!
 

That is a good call. The snort/wheeze call can be extremely effective, especially when used durring the peak of the rut. It will sometimes get a deer that is walking away to turn around and come investigate. Its not a call that you want to do blind...usually a call that you use in times of desperation when you think the deer isnt going to come otherwise. Works good with a decoy too...

Yep, i think were going to Shawns farm with the decoy to try and rattle in some bucks!

RE: What a morning!
 

Great pics Mike - great encounter on the stand- thanks for sharing!!

RE: What a morning!
 

Man that first one looks pretty mature...I woulda had a hard time passin him up!!!You got some monsters a roamin...

RE: What a morning!
 

With the snort/wheeze call, do you just do it like once or twice to turn them around or more than that?

RE: What a morning!
 

Sweet, can't beat a morning like like that!

RE: What a morning!
 

Usually just once...maybe twice.

If they don't want to come, they arent going to!

RE: What a morning!
 

:DMan what gives :Dyou can be turkey hunting and bust them roosting just walking in. switch to deer hunting and you can set up gear in the same tree as them and they wont bust :DI had one gobble this morning at a train wistle [&:]kinda weird this time of year.. Mike that first buch is a hog body wise, to bad his gear wasnt the same. the last buck is gonna be a pig next year ;)

RE: What a morning!
 

Nice pics. Thanks for sharing

RE: What a morning!
 

I love your posts, it helps the day go by when I am at work and really want to be in the stand. Good luck for your evening hunt.

RE: What a morning!
 

Good story, sounds like a great hunt bud. That buck you have pics of has great G-2's/G-3's. If you are letting him go one more year, he will be a monster next season. That is awesome you have so much activity going on down there, seems like they are really cruising around.

Shane

RE: What a morning!
 

Let all them bucks grow another year. Then, they'll be very nice bucks and probably shooters. I'd say let them grow at least another year, but they're still nice bucks this year. Just think how much bigger they'll be next year if they live, which hopefully they do.